Gochujan Cucumber Salad

 This Gochujan Cucumber salad has a secret but I will share it.  Tahini!  Korean recipes often call for sesame seed salt, which is just toasted and ground sesame seeds.  My pestle and mortar are in KS with my sister so I had the idea just use Tahini.    I used tahini in bulgogi a few time and it works. Tahini and Gochujan mix together so well and they make the perfect not too spicy smooth dressing.

Gochujan Cucumber Salad

1 English Cucumber
1 green onion
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp gochujan
1/4 tsp tahini
1 tsp mirin (sweet rice wine vinegar)
1 tsp soy sauce

Mix the gochujan and tahini. Add in the vinegar and soy.  Slice the cucumber and green onion and dress.  Top with the sesame seeds.

This is a great salad for introducing a baby to gochujan...if your baby don't throw the cucumbers on the floor!

Dakgalbi: Spicy Korean Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Rice Noodles

I loved going to Dakgalbi resterants when I lived in Korea. My friends and I always ordered extra rice noodles and sweet potatoes but there was always too much cabbage left over. Sometimes we would even order cheese. Its a lot like Tteokbokki (spicy Korean rice cakes), but its more of a main meal rather than just a snack.
Dakgalbi
for 2
1 free range chicken breast
1 small sweet potato
1 cup cabbage
1 cup of rice cakes/noodles
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch of ginger
1-2 Tbs of Gochujang (Korean Hot Pepper Paste)
1 Tbs brown suger
1 tsp oil

Cut the chicken into chunks. Peal and chop the sweet potato into thin half moons. Chop the cabbage. Mince the garlic and ginger.

Over medium heat melt the gochujang in the oil, garlic and ginger. Add the chicken and brown suger. Cover with 1 cup of water and cover with the sweet potatoes and cabbage. Let come to a low boil and cook for 15 min or until the sweet potatoes are soft and the chicken is cooked. Taste and add salt or more gochujang if its not too hot for you.